Capiz is one of the four provinces of Panay Island in Western Visayas. Located 375 miles southwest of Manila, 136 kilometers northwest of Iloilo City and 86 kilometers east of Kalibo, Aklan, once a part of the early Malay settlement known as Aklan. It is composed of 16 municipalities, 1 component city (Roxas City) and 473 barangays.

ROXAS City â€“ A total of 6,000 hectares in Capiz will be planted with trees starting June this year.

Some 80,000 seedlings will be used, according to Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial head Valentin Talabero.

The planting starts in time for the rainy season. It is in line with the governmentâ€™s National Greening Program, which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016, he said.

Based on Executive Order 211, the program is also aimed at pursuing sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

More than 11,658 hectares in Capiz â€” mostly in Tapaz and Jamindan towns â€” have been covered by the greening program so far, said Talabero.

Talabero also said they are doubling their replanting efforts in newly reforested areas damaged by super typhoon â€śYolandaâ€ť in November 2013.

After â€śYolanda,â€ť the provincial environment office carried out a peopleâ€™s organization, a â€ścash for workâ€ť mangrove reforestation project covering 350 hectares in various towns, he said.

Meanwhile, the Environment official said they are advocating the planting of indigenous endemic tree species, which can better than other forest trees species in terms of soil and climate adaptability.

Likewise, he said, they are also urging the public to plant fruit trees instead of forest trees for food, security and economic purposes. (PIA/PN)Â